MEN’S BASKETBALL OPENS PRACTICE AND SCRIMMAGE TO THE PUBLIC THIS SATURDAY, OCT. 24 10/20/2009 SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento State men’s basketball program will open its practice and intrasquad scrimmage this Saturday, Oct. 24, to the public. Practice will run from 11 a.m. until noon, and the intrasquad scrimmage (dubbed the Green & Gold Scrimmage) will last from noon until 1 p.m. Fans will have the opportunity to make Saturday a men’s basketball/football doubleheader as the Hornet football squad hosts Montana at 2 p.m. Fans will also have the chance to meet head coach Brian Katz, his staff and all 15 players on this year’s roster. The Hornets’ roster consists of six returners, eight newcomers and one returning redshirt. The list of returners is led by team tri-captains Justin Eller, Antonio Flaggs and Mike Marcial. Sacramento State began official team practices on Oct. 16, and the team opens the 2009-10 season at the Rice Basketball Challenge in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 13-15. The team will play Rice, Houston Baptist and South Alabama during the three-day, three-game tournament. The team plays a home exhibition game against Menlo on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:05 p.m.